


Close Call

by darklordavy



Category: Parasol Protectorate - Gail Carriger, Romancing the Werewolf - Gail Carriger, The Custard Protocol Series - Gail Carriger
Genre: Blood, Emotional Tether(s), Ficlet, M/M, Near Death Experience, Non-Graphic Violence, Psychic Bond, Werewolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-06-24
Packaged: 2019-05-28 02:40:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15038864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darklordavy/pseuds/darklordavy
Summary: Biffy is working at the hat shop after closing when he feels his lover in pain through their tether. Will he make to his side before it's too late?





	Close Call

**Author's Note:**

> I rp fairly often but this is the first fanfic I've written in years and the first for the Parasolverse! I wrote this for the Trope Writing Challenge community on Pillowfort for the psychic bond challenge. I'm in love with this series and this pairing and hope I've done them justice with this short fic.

Biffy felt it the moment that it happened. Sharp pain that was not his arced through his tether. 

_Lyall!_

The hat he had been in the middle of working on dropped to the ground as he darted to the door. With an uncharacteristic lack of concern for his garments he shifted as he moved, fully transformed by the time he was out the door. Fortunately he had already closed for the evening so there were no traumatized patrons left behind. Lyall was all that concerned him as he took off down the street. Torn fabric and an unlocked hat shop could be dealt with later. 

Instinctively he knew where his beta was. All he needed to do was follow the pull at his tether back to him. As he darted through the streets at full speed, paws skidding across stone as he rounded corners, desperation clawed at him and cold fear pushed back in response to Lyall’s pain. He could feel the pack starting to answer too. They knew something was wrong with their alpha and beta, though the connection wasn’t nearly so strong as it was between the two lovers. 

_It isn’t stopping… why isn’t he healing?! Was it a Sundowner bullet? A silver weapon?_

He charged through the streets, darting in between carriages and pedestrians. Biffy was one of the fastest in his pack and when this focused could cover a significant amount of ground very quickly. After only a few minutes running he could tell Lyall was close. He must not have been all that far off to begin with. Biffy’s muscles strained as he pushed himself to his limits, desperate to put a stop to whatever was causing his lover such pain. With a burst of speed he rounded the corner and there he was. He was not alone.

Lyall was on the ground, clutching his side, and the sharp, metallic smell of blood hung in the air. A small wolf was defending him, but the attackers, for there were several, were too much for her to handle alone for long. 

_Rue! Lyall must have given her his wolf to protect her and ended up injured himself._

She was in a bad spot, unable to go on the offensive while stuck defending the injured Professor. If she tried to flee to give Lyall back his wolf however, she’d be leaving him to the attackers who would have enough time to finish him off while he was still human. She wouldn’t be able to hold out long against those odds.

Biffy growled, anger and determination growing. No, he would not allow Lyall and Rue to die here. Rue might no longer be pack but she numbered among those he held dear. Without hestitation the alpha rushed into the fray, grabbing onto the nearest human with his teeth and tossing him aside with supernatural strength before quickly moving to the next. Rue let out a happy yip to see him. One werewolf wasn’t enough, but two reversed the odds. 

The two wolves tore at their attackers and soon they started to back away and flee. Rue moved to give chase but Biffy barked at her sharply. She needed to get away! Lyall’s pain was getting worse and if he had any hope of pulling through he needed his wolf back, now! Getting the message, Rue dipped her head in understanding and took off down the street.

Rather than chase the attackers himself, Biffy hurried over to Lyall and looked him over with a whine.

“Biffy…” he said weakly, a trembling hand reaching out to touch his fur.

It was bad. Very bad. There was far too much blood. He couldn’t have much time left, minutes at most! Biffy’s fear was overwhelming. He could feel Lyall trying to push soft reassurance to him though their connection, despite the pain he was unable to hide. Even when he was dying, his beta still put others ahead of himself.

The alpha shifted back to his human form, not caring that he was now kneeling naked on the dirty streets of London. He reached for him, applying pressure to the wound and hoping that it would be enough to keep him here even a moment longer.

“Lyall, please you must hang on. I need you, I cannot be without you again.”

His lover’s gentle hand stroked his face and brushed away tears he hadn’t even realized he had been crying.

“Anything for you... my Alpha,” he promised, though they both knew it was out of his hands. His voice was calm but with his werewolf senses, Biffy could feel his breathing and his pulse growing weaker. 

“Please Lyall, Rue must be almost there!”

Another minute passed. Nothing. Biffy tried to keep from panicking but it was a losing battle. 

_Why hasn’t she made it far enough yet? Was she attached again? Was she injured too? What if-_

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard Lyall gasp and the severity of the pain ebbed. Biffy removed his hands from the wound and pushed the torn fabric aside to see that it was closing. He let out a shuddering breath of relief and gathered him carefully into his arms, burying his face in sandy hair.

“Oh Lyall, don’t ever do that to me again. I don’t think my heart can take it.”

“I promise I will try, my love,” he said, arms sliding around him in a warm embrace. Soon Rue would return, the pack would arrive, and the onlookers would start making a fuss, but in this moment there was nothing but the two men and their love. 


End file.
